Also, CNU will receive D20’s 1st Semester Grades (we were told they would be sent beginning of February) and she did very well with strong upward trend so hopefully that will tip the scale in her favor. Her high school automatically sends out 1st semester grades/transcripts to all schools applied to.
Still waiting to hear from UMW - her top choice.
Emailed UMW counselor yesterday.
As our Son applied 11/14
Yet they continued to say his transcript had not arrived.
To only have them find it 12/10 SMH
So yesterday decided to confirm he was still considered EA. And his Honors desire was clearly stated.
They replied: Yes!
His application is on final readings, and EA decisions are trending for 1/31
(as stated on website)
So we shall see!
We have heard from 8 of the 10 schools he applied EA to, before Christmas.
(All accepted)
Waiting on UMW
and Carnegie Mellon that won’t release until 3/28
… sadly we will most likely commit to someone else by then, in order to not lose Honors Housing. 
@BagpipersMom - have similar issue with S20’s app for VMI - was just notified that they never received counselor’s recommendation and secondary school report. Having to check to see who dropped the ball.
D20 was deferred by CNU so now has to wait for RD notification date of March 15.
For those in VA, what’s the local opinion of CNU vs. UMW? I see some people say CNU is stronger than UMW, while others say the opposite. Statistically, they look to be on par with each other.
@eb23282 - I don’t think it’s necessarily a matter of one being better than the other in terms of academics. CNU has Sororities and Fraternities whereas UMW does not – that in itself I think sways more people to CNU. I also hear that CNU has a stronger athletic program. CNU is also about 1 hr from Va. Beach so I’m sure that appeals to many. Academically speaking though based on what I’ve read and heard they are both on par. For example, my D20 is interested in education and both CNU and UMW offer a MAT FIVE-YEAR DEGREE PROGRAM. I do think CNU is more STEM and less LAC, whereas I think UMW is more LAC than STEM.
UMW is in Fredericksburg - totally a college town with lots of off-campus places to go. CNU is in Newport News which I would not say is a college town. Yes, still places to go off campus…but I would never call Newport News a college town.
CNU has been working it’s way up the ranking ladder and it’s campus is by far the most beautiful and new we’ve ever visited - the country club of college campuses! But it’s also the more expensive of the two – Tuition $15K versus UMW’s $11K
Thanks @scoutmom2002. Both have a good reputation in state? Coming from OOS, not many people have heard of either, but from what I’ve seen/read, I think both are potential options.
@eb23282 - yes, they both have good reputations in state. We are blessed here in VA to have so many good schools for good students. If possible, I would definitely visit each campus (during an admit day) before making a decision to ensure the right fit. The campuses are very different as is the surrounding town.
CNU is very NEW – the youngest university in VA - built in 1960. And they have very effectively shed their former commuter school rep. My D20 loves the campus and the dorms are the newest and best in VA.
I think those that think CNU is better are those that are more STEM leaning and think it’s important socially to have sororities/fraternities as well as strong athletic program and sports team spirit. Oh, almost forgot a very important element – UMW does NOT have a Football Team. CNU has Football plus Sailing. But UMW has Riding.
If you’re looking for a school with a larger variety of sports, Football Team, and the traditional Greek life, UMW is not for you. UMW is also less of a party school than CNU but I’d say mainly because CNU has a Football Team, Sororities and Fraternities.
I’ll add…it’s not that CNU or UMW are better than one another… they are simply different. Much like my twins…one is not better than the other, they are simply different - polar opposites in fact!
Ugg…D20 still waiting to hear from UMW. Supposedly EA applications will receive notification by January 31. Not sure if it’s good or bad that decision hasn’t come yet.
@BagpipersMom - have you heard back yet?
So I was reading this thread again as we’ve got visits planned to both CNU and UMW. Does the party scene at CNU revolve solely around greek life and a football team that is 2-8? The area around CNU doesn’t seem to have much going for it, yet Fredericksburg seems like a really cool place for students? I guess the “party” scene at CNU is more on-campus while maybe UMW is more of an off-campus thing - making CNU more of a party school?
@eb23282 – when I say “party” I mean there are probably going to be “more” social events/parties at a school that has a football team and greek life - and likely more on-campus events/parties tied to football/greek life. Not saying there won’t be any parties at UMW – but definitetly less and likely most will be off-campus.
FYI - if you go to another site UMW receives a grade of C+ for Party Scene and CNU receives a grade of B- for Party Scene
YES!
Acceptance was mailed 1/14.
Received two days later.
portal did not change for 10 days after that? Now portal says “Application Maintenance”??
But in general, we have been disappointed with UMW’s communication.
Asked a question re: acceptance letter.
And here we are 2 weeks later, and have never gotten a response.
This has been the same story with all communications since Beginning of senior year. 
This part DOES NOT impress me!
@BagpipersMom - congrats! We still have nothing in the mail and no updates on the portal. Email sent to admissions counselor and no reply back yet. Frustrating 
@BagpipersMom - so, I just called her Admissions Counselor and apparently all EA decisions will be postmarked by 1/31 so she should hopefully know one way or the other by Saturday or Monday-Tuesday latest depending on how quickly the post office works. Praying for an acceptance!
We live in NoVa, pretty close to Fredericksburg, and no one I know would consider Fred to be a college town. Then again, also no one we know is even applying to UMW. Many apply to CNU and for people who want to stay closer, they seem to apply to Mason. We’ve been to UMW for a few gymnastics meets and I wasn’t really a fan of the campus. My D applied in-state only to Shenandoah, Radford, and ODU (dance and ed double major), so take those as the casual opinions and observations that they are meant to be.
@milgymfam why does no one apply to UMW? To close to home?
@eb23282 honestly, despite being close, it’s just not on people’s radar as a real option. I would say we are about equidistant from UMW and George Mason, so I’m not sure it’s distance. Mason isn’t considered a commuter campus and UMW is (in our social circle), so maybe that’s it? People who are choosing to live at home and save money are tending toward CC for the first two years.
Edited to add that a quick google tells me that Mason has 23% commuters and UMW has 45% commuters, so the reality does meet the assumptions.
@milgymfam Do you know if they are true commuters who live at home, or students who end up moving off-campus? And I would think Mason and UMW attract very different students being that GM is 25,000 students and UMW is 4,000, and the 4yr grad rate at GM is about 10% lower.
Just trying to get a better understanding as we’re OOS and therefore our knowledge is limited to those “casual opinions and observations” that you’ve so kindly offered.
@eb23282 (and @milgymfam)
Being equidistant to UMW and GMU makes a huge difference. While I’m in NoVa I’m closer to MD and UMW would definitely NOT be a commuter school for us.
GMU however would be a commuter school which is why neither my D20 and S20 are interested in GMU - too close to home.
It’s not on majority of our circle of friend’s radar either, but that’s because they all seem to want to go to bigger and further away schools with football teams, sororities, etc…which UMW is not.
And also…to be totally honest there are many in NOVA who feel that if it’s not the top 3-4 schools (UVA, W&M, VaTech and even JMU) they’d rather pay (and are able to afford) to send their kids to OOS flagship schools or privates. Most in our circles are applying to OOS like Pitt, UPenn, Syracuse, Miami Ohio plus Ivies.
My S20 totally would have applied OOS…but we refused to spend money to travel to OOS College ID Camps and as his focus is to play soccer in college…he only did VA College ID Camps. My D20 wants a smaller school and actually would prefer to stay local/in-state - doesn’t want to have to take a flight home from college and wants to be an elementary school teacher in VA - so that (in addition to paying college for twins!) is why we are only doing in-state schools. D20 also applied to Radford, CNU, Roanoke Longwood and Randolph-Macon – all small schools. ODU too big.
@eb23282 - just to clarify the “commuter school” reference for both UMW and GMU…and even ODU.
For many universities such as UVA, VaTech and JMU…ALL first-year students are REQUIRED to live on campus, are guaranteed housing, and must have a dining plan…regardless of where they live.
That is not the case for UMW, GMU, CNU and ODU.
UMW: UMW is committed to local students who choose to live at home with family for a variety of reasons. The university has designated a thirty-mile radius of the Fredericksburg campus to be an acceptable commuting distance to allow students to drive in daily from home. Students outside of the thirty-mile radius of campus are expected to live on campus for the first two years. Students outside of the thirty mile radius who wish to remain living with family must request and be approved for a waiver to live off campus.
ODU does not have an on-campus residency requirement, so freshman students are not required to live on campus.
CNU: Freshmen, sophomores and juniors are required to live on campus, unless they reside with a parent or legal guardian in Grafton, Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson, Seaford, Tabb or Yorktown.
GMU: Mason requires all first-year students to live on campus, except if the student resides in the principal residence of a parent or legal guardian within the counties of Fairfax, Arlington, Alexandria, Prince William, and parts of Loudoun*. Students desiring this exemption must apply and provide parent or legal guardian endorsement.